A Tougher Day 2 at the U.S. Open for Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler, two of the world’s top golfers, played the first two days of the U.S. Open in the same group, and it’s fair to say the pairing didn’t serve either very well.

Morikawa, the 28-year-old Cal grad who is ranked No. 4 in the world, shot 4-over 74 in Friday’s second round at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh to fall 12 spots into a tie for 23rd place at plus-4 through 36 holes.

World No. 1 Scheffler, who has won three times this season, shares that spot with Morikawa entering the weekend. Scheffler carded a 71 the day after he shot 73 and both players are seven strokes behind second-round leader Sam Burns, who shot a 5-under 65 and leads at minus-3. 

At least Morikawa and Scheffler are still playing. That’s not the case for two other former Cal players.

Michael Kim posted a 1-over 71 and finished two days in 69th place at plus-6, missing the cut line by one stroke. Byeong Hun An wasn’t as close, recording six bogeys in a round of 75 that left him at plus-9 and sent him home.

The challenging Oakmont course was probably the biggest winner on Friday. Only seven of 156 golfers in the field broke par in the second and just three will enter the weekend under par after 36 holes.

After Burns, first-round leader J.J. Spaun is alone in second place at minus-2 while Viktor Hovland is third at minus-1 after a 68.

The course was so unforgiving that the 67 golfers who made the cut to play Saturday and Sunday only had to post two-day scores of 7 over par. Ten players finished at plus-20 or worse, including American George Duangmanee, who shot on 89 on Friday and finished 35 over par with no birdies and only 12 pars over 36 holes.

Big names who didn’t make the cut included Patrick Cantlay, Phil Mickelson, Ludvig Aberg, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas.

Morikawa, who carded an even-par 70 on Thursday, started on the back nine and made pars on each of his first 10 holes Friday.

But he bogeyed the next hole — No. 2 — and then made a double-bogey 6 on the third hole. He responded with a birdie on No. 4 before closing the day with bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9.

While Scheffler answered his opening-round 73 with a 71, he has six bogeys through 36 holes, an uncommon outcome for the world’s best golfer.

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